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The 1975 have just helped finance London's LGBTQ Community Centre

The Manchester band have helped finance the LGBTQ centre by making a significant donation

2018-06-10

Manchester band The 1975 have helped finance a new LGBT+ community centre in Hackney, London.

Organisers of the LGBT+ community centre launched a Crowdfunder campaign and revealed this week that they had reached their minimum goal total of £50,000 after issuing a renewed plea for support.

On Wednesday (June 6), The 1975, who won the Best British Band Brit Award last year, helped the centre reach that target by making a significant donation to the project, which is now on its way to raising almost £100,000 through Crowdfunding donations.

In an interview with the Observer, Matthew Healy, the band's frontman, said: "You might wonder why it is needed, and even ask yourself what exactly is everyone still scared of, but sadly, I think stigma still exists even in London and we still have some way to go."

Healy, who previously said that a large section of the band's fans are LGBT, continued: "When a friend of mine sent me the link, I was quite surprised that such a good idea had not yet raised enough to get over the threshold.

"I am a bit wary of talking about it because I don't want to appear to be virtue-signalling, but me and the others in the band all felt it was obviously a good thing to put our money towards."

The London LGBTQ Community Centre, which was announced in April and has received high profile backing from the likes of Jeremy Corbyn and Olly Alexander, will be a "completely accessible, multi-purpose space, run by and for LGBTQ+ people."

It will mark the first time London has had a dedicated LGBT+ community centre since 1991 when the London Lesbian and Gay Centre was closed down.

The new centre will reportedly host a variety of entertainment and group activities including drag shows. The centre will also focus on welcoming older members of the LGBT community who are sometimes left out.

There are also plans to run a cafe at the centre employed by LGBT people as well as an information and research hub.

You can help support the London LGBTQ+ Community Centre's Crowdfunder here.